Real estate agent Mauricio Umansky says an unsettling experience involving Michael Jackson’s spirit helped him sell the Holmby Hills mansion where Jackson died. That is Umansky’s account—not verified evidence of a ghost or proof that anything paranormal caused the sale. The house sold for a reported $18.1 million in 2012.
What Umansky says happened at the mansion
In an April 2023 report, TMZ summarized an anecdote from Umansky’s book, The Dealmaker: How to Succeed in Business & Life through Dedication, Determination & Disruption. According to that account, the locked-up house was later found with a window open and music playing in the room where Jackson had died. Umansky also described a chandelier incident that reportedly unsettled a potential buyer. He said he appealed to Jackson’s spirit, and the home eventually sold.
Those events and their supernatural interpretation are reported as Umansky’s story. The available reporting does not independently verify the incidents, establish that a ghost existed, or show that the appeal caused the sale. TMZ’s account summarizes his story; it does not provide an exact transcript of his words.
Jackson rented the house; he did not own it
The Los Angeles Times reported in March 2012 that Jackson leased the Holmby Hills property for $100,000 per month and died there in 2009. Hubert and Roxanne Guez had bought it in 2004 for $18.5 million. Umansky represented the house as its listing agent.
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The French château-style home was designed by Richard Landry and built in 2002. The Times described it as 17,171 square feet, with seven bedrooms, 13 bathrooms and 11 fireplaces. Other features included a theater, wine cellar and tasting room, elevator, art studio, gym and spa, guesthouse, pool, and 1.25 acres of gated grounds.
What the sale price does—and does not—show
The Los Angeles Times reported that the property sold for $18.1 million in November 2012. That transaction price should not be confused with the asking prices set during its listing history:
| Figure | What it refers to |
|---|---|
| $38 million | As much as the owners sought in 2008, according to the Los Angeles Times’ 2012 reporting. |
| $23.9 million | The asking price reported in March 2012 by the Los Angeles Times. |
| $18.1 million | The reported sale price in November 2012, according to the Los Angeles Times. |
The figures describe different stages of the property’s history. They do not establish that its past, the reported incidents, or a ghost caused the eventual sale price.
How a property’s history can factor into a sale
In a March 2012 Los Angeles Times article, real estate consultant and appraiser Randall Bell said, “Crime scenes have a perceived stigma.” The article quoted his general estimate that such houses usually close at a market discount of 10% to 50% and noted they can take longer to sell. Bell’s range was general context from 2012—not an appraisal of Jackson’s former rental home or a measured discount on this sale.
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The same distinction matters for Umansky’s story: an agent’s account may describe how a buyer reacted or how the agent understood an unusual event, but it cannot by itself establish a market effect. The documented financial outcome is a reported $18.1 million sale in 2012; the paranormal explanation remains Umansky’s interpretation.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why the furniture auction is a separate issue
A December 2011 Los Angeles Times article covered an auction of furniture from the mansion. The auctioneer explicitly cautioned that he was not claiming the items for sale were Jackson’s personal property. The auction coverage therefore should not be read as establishing that the furnishings belonged to the singer.
Quick Recap
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Sources
- TMZ, April 17, 2023, reporting Umansky’s account.
- Los Angeles Times, March 20, 2012, on the home’s listing and property details.
- Los Angeles Times, November 2, 2012, on the reported sale price and market context.
- Los Angeles Times, December 13, 2011, on the furniture auction.
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